A Tribute To The 4th Battalion Mechanized 23rd Infantry Regiment, Veterans Of The Vietnam War-

A Special Photo Gallery - In Tribute To Veterans of the Vietnam War

A Tribute In Pictures to the 4th Battalion (Mechanized), 23rd Infantry Regiment,
25th Infantry Division

~ A Special Place for our Extended Family of Vietnam Veterans ~
from an archive of original photographs taken from February 1968 through February 1969,
the TET Offensive

And To All Vietnam Veterans, Thank You For Your Service,
and
Welcome Back.

all images © PONDCREST STUDIO, except where noted
music: Jose Feliciano, The Doors, The Hollies,
John Denver, The Mamas & The Papas

The images displayed are the result of a restoration project using
photographs taken in the field of operations of the 4/23 Mechanized
Infantry, 25th Infantry Division. The quality level of these images
is the result of the non professional, point and shoot camera
and film available at that time.

This Presentation Represents just One Infantry Soldier's Perspective;
there are many more images and stories to share by
other veterans who bravely served and sacrificed.
And now, please scroll down to view
this photographic tribute to Vietnam Veterans.

BRAVO Company, 2nd platoon, squad,
Atop M113 "APC" (Armoured Personnel Carrier), South Vietnam - 1968

Rumbling Through the Counry Side

Securing An ARVN (Army Republic of Vietnam) Outpost

At A Field Position

The Rainy Season

In the Village of Trang Bang, Cao Dai temple 1968
- a most troubled area during this time and throughout the war

Cao Dai temple In Trang Bang - Today!
(image source internet, unknown)

A Small Village, along Highway One

CH-47 "Chinook" Field Resupply (Chinook still in production)

A Safe Lift

Setup On The Perimeter

HU-1A "Huey", in a touch and go, (Huey is the most recognized helicopter)

"Doc" Gets A Resupply

Hueys Lift Off

Hueys Complete A Touch and Go, And On Their Way

Mr. "Chinook"

Chinook Prepares A lift Of Artillery

A Small Village 2, along Highway One

Helpers from The Local Village, at Tay Ninh base camp

Huey In Wet Land

Securing A Field Position, 2nd platoon, squad

CH-54 "Skycrane", descending with pallet

"Skycrane", a quick descent and quicker lift off

"Skycrane", up up and away

Rain Likely

Late Afternoon

Field Artillery, On Call

Field Artillery, maintenance a must

Chopper transport, Nui Ba Den (Black Virgin Mountain) in distance shrouded in clouds,
Tay Ninh province, South Vietnam - 1968

Another View From The "Door"

Another Small Village

Village Children, Always Inquisitive

Passing By Two Boys In A Village, Scavenging

Sun Setting

Huey In Evening Drop Off

In The Brown Soup

Mud Field,

Bogged Down In Mud,

Never a Shortage of Rich Wet Soil

Local Villager Weaving

Mortar Track,

At The Wire In A Field Postion

In Another Field Postion,

Command Chopper Take Off,
Hughes Aviation: OH-13 and OH-23:
The OH-13 "Sioux" and the OH-23 "Raven",
were both light (observation) helicopters;
used for artillery support missions (spotter) or light transport purposes.

Villagers Eager To Sell,

Perimeter Position with M60,

Needed Supplies, inside view of M113 "APC"

Side Mounted M60 machine gun, on M113 "APC"

Not Raining Yet,

2nd Platoon, Squad, at a field position,

Set Up In A Pasture, with water buffalo

Resupply and Mess Area,

Preparing For Security of Tan Son Nhut Air Base, Saigon,

F4 Phantom 11 Lands At Tan Son Nhut Air Base - Saigon, at the time
the busiest airport in the world - 1968

Readying Gear & Preparing For A Mission, at Tan Son Nhut Air Base

Along The Flight Line, at Tan Son Nhut Air Base

Typical Day, The Rainy Season,

Command Track - Bravo Company In Transit,

Bravo Company, 2nd Platoon, mixed squads setting up for the night

Post Green, Tay Ninh - 2nd Brigade, 25th Infantry Division, South Vietnam - 1968

This Presentaion Is Part Of An On Going Project - Over 40 Years In The Making.
Thank You For Visiting This Online Tribute To Vietnam Veterans.

Some Brief Details of service during this time period: The 4/23 "Tomahawks"
were attached to the 25th Infantry Division, with their command center located at Cu Chi,
the 1st Brigade main base camp of the 25th Infantry Division.
Their area of operations included Saigon/Tan Son Nhut to Tay Ninh and Dau Tieng, and to the
North West to Cambodia. The "Tomahawks" later relocated to the 2nd Brigade at Tay Ninh Base Camp
and continued operations along Highway One from Saigon To Dau Tieng, including the villages
of Hoc Mon, Trang Bang, Hobo Woods, The Little Rubber Plantation, and the area
around Nui Ba Den - also known as "Black Virgin Mountain". Map of South Vietnam - circa 1968
Map of 25th Infantry Division operations area, South Vietnam - circa 1968

Return to Begining of Presentation additional links of interest:

Link to Battalion Commander's Journal Entries for Field Operations,
May to November, 1968

Link to Battalion History

American Aircraft in Support of Ground Troops Observed by this Member
in the Area of Operations from 1968 - 1969

      Bell AH-1 Cobra / HueyCobra (Bell 209),   Bell UH-1 Iroquois (Huey),   Boeing B-52 Stratofortress,
      Boeing CH-47 Chinook,   de Havilland Canada DHC-4 Caribou,   Douglas A-1 Skyraider,
      Hughes OH-6 Cayuse (Loach),   Lockheed C-130 Hercules,   McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II,
      Northrop F-5 Freedom Fighter / Tiger / Tiger II,   Republic F-105 Thunderchief,
      Sikorsky CH-54 Tarhe / Erickson S-64 Skycrane,    Hughes Aviation: OH-13 "Sioux", and OH-23 "Raven".

  credits for music excerpts:
    "Light My Fire" - Jose Feliciano
    "Riders On The Storm" - The Doors
    "He Ain't Heavy He's My Brother" - Hollies
    "The Eagle And The Hawk" - John Denver
    "California Dreaming" - Mamas & Papas
  Photo credit:
    "Trang Bang Today" - internet, unknown

© PONDCREST STUDIO
use of any content, copying, printing or redistribution
without the express written permission of the author is not allowed To leave comments or questions to the author please email
no comments submitted to the author will be posted here without the contributers permission.

A place for visitors submitted comments:

1450 hrs local - Wednesday - August 13, 2014
Re: SGT Richard F. "Rick" Zahn

Rick Zahn and I were in Tay Ninh at the same time back in 1968.
We went to the same high school in Livingston, NJ; Rick was class
of '62 and I was '64. He was a US and I was RA and our families
knew each other for years. I was with the 187th Assault Helicopter
Company's gunship team, Rat Pack during this time; January through July 1968.

I wasn't aware that Rick was in-country until I got a letter from home.
An enclosed local newspaper article mentioned there were several of
us 'over there' at the same time.
I saw Rick's name and quickly discovered he was in B Company, 4/23 'Tomahawks',
25th Division. He was pleasantly surprised to run into someone from his home town!
I remember going over to his hooch from time to time and we'd have an occasional beer or two.

Anyway Rick passed away last Friday, August 8th in Waterloo, South Carolina.
He was diagnosed with an aggressive form of leukemia two years earlier and he did
his best to fight it. I'm hoping there might still be a guy or two from B Company
who might remember Rick. I remember one particularly busy night for Rick and his
squad in Bao Trai, not too far from Trang Bang; April or May of '68 as I reacall.

I can provide the funeral details and name and address of Rick's wife Sandy.
They had one son, also named Rick, who works up in Jersey City. I'm sure they'd
both be happy to hear from some of his old service buddies.

The date of Rick's final service in East Hanover, New Jersey, planning for a
military sendoff, is not yet set but will probably be sometime in mid-September.
I can provide additional contact info to anyone who may remember Rick Zahn
Thanks in advance for your assistance.

Sincerely,
Chris Reilly - katanga_6@msn.com - formerly served with A 3/7, 199th Lt Inf Bde,
1966-67 and 187th Assault Helicopter Company based in Tay Ninh 1968

CHRIS REILLY
4790 South Atlantic Avenue
Fishermen's Village - Unit B-202
Ponce Inlet, FL
32127-7161 USA